Effect of Wheat Bread Incorporated with Chamomile and Wild Thyme on Glycemic Response, Antioxidant Status and Inflammation in Type 2 Diabetic Individuals

Abstract

Previous studies suggest that bread incorporated with chamomile and wild thyme powder exhibits lower starch digestibility and higher antioxidant activity in vitro; hence, its intake may suppress postprandial blood glucose and enhance antioxidant status in humans. The present study determined the effect of bread incorporating chamomile and wild thyme on blood glucose, antioxidant status, and inflammation in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Sixteen male subjects consumed either control bread (CB) or bread incorporating 3 % chamomile and wild thyme powder in two separate sessions. Blood glucose was measured using the finger-prick method at fasting and then postprandi-ally for 2 h. Antioxidant and inflammatory markers were measured at fasting and 2 h after consumption. A non-significant decrease in blood glucose (–8.30 ± 2.39 mg/dl; p = 0.411) was observed after the consumption of chamomile- and wild thyme- containing bread (CWB) compared to CB. Compared to baseline, the consumption of CWB non-significantly increased total polyphenols, total antioxidant capacity (TOAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by 6.12%, 20.32%, and 15.17%, respectively (p for all <0.05). Similarly, CWB non-significantly decreased thiobarbituric acid reac-tive substances (TBARS) by 27.46% and C-reactive protein (CRP) by 12.41% compared to baseline values (p for all <0.05). In conclusion, the consumption of bread incorpo-rated with chamomile and wild thyme resulted in an improvement in blood glucose, an increase in polyphenols, TOAC, and SOD activity, and a reduction in TBARS and CRP levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Further studies are now warranted with larger sample sizes and higher doses to achieve significant clinical results.